Razor blade



4June 23, 1942 A. s. CARLSON l '228.75549' RAZOR BLADE i v Filed April 22,A 195s Patented June 23, 1942 UNiTgD' RAZOR BLADE Axel S. Carlson, New York, N. Y., assigner of onehalf to Harris M. Humason, New Canaan,

Conn.

, Application April 22, 1939, sei-iai B10269462 (c1. afl-351) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to safety razors and razor blades.

In safety razors of the type utilizing so-called wafer blades, the blade ordinarily has a slot which takes over a positioning bar'or other element on the inner face of the razor cap. Such slot varies in shape and form in different makes of blades but they all have certain portions which theoretically engage the positioning bar to position the blade in parallelism with the axis of the razor head. Y

Such parallelism, however, is seldom attained to perfection in practice. The slot of the blade 1s necessarily wide enough to enable the blade to be readily assembled and removed. While the width of slot may vary with different razors and diierent blades, in most if not all the blades now on the market, the slot is several thousandths f an inch wider than the positioning bar. As a result, the bar and slot can not function as precise positioning elements and the blade often cants out of true position.

Furthermore, when the razor is tightened up, the wafer blade is arced somewhat and this arcing tends to spread the edges of the slot, thus accentuating the condition described.

The result of such canting of the blade is that its edges are out of parallel with the edge of the razor. While this divergence from parallelism is slight in absolute dimensions, even extremely slight canting of a blade interferes with comfortable and proper shaving.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a razor and a blade therefor such that` canting of the blade is avoided. More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide a razor and a blade therefor such that the blade may be precisely held in a position of parallelism and such that, at the same time, the blade may be easily assembled in and removed from the razor. y A

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the features, combinations, details of construction and arrangement of parts which will rst be described in Connection with the accompanying drawing and then more par-V ticularly pointed out.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan View, with parts in section, 0f a razor blade constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figures 2 and 3 are sectional views of the same taken, respectively, on the lines 2-2 and 3-3 of Figure 1, Figure 3 being enlarged;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a modied blade; f

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a planV View of blade;

Figure 'l is arsectional View taken on the line 1 1 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is an end View, enlarged, of the blade of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a view partly in elevation and partly in transverse section of a razor having assembled therein a blade; i

. Figure 10 is a plan View showingthe blade of Figure 1 assembled with the cap of a razor constructed in accordance with the inventiom.

Figure ll is a similar View showing, more or less conventionally, a blade and razor of present commercial type and illustrating, in a somewhat exaggerated manner, canting of the blade;

Figure 12 is a plan View of a blade of the nonwafer or rigid type, constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figures 13 and 14 are sectional views taken, respectively, on the lines |3-I3 and lil- I4 of Figure 12, Figure 14 being enlarged; and

Figure 15 is a plan View showing the blade of Figure 12 assembled with a razor constructed in accordance with the invention.

rReferring to the drawing, the invention in its entirety includes a razor having a position abutment; a blade; and resilient means tending to hold the blade in positioning engagementwith the abutment. In the case of razors using double-edged blades, the blade may conveniently comprise .two separateportions, each having a cutting edge, and movable towards yand away fromk each other,such separate portions being connected by resilient means tending to prevent separation.

Referring further to known commercial constructions, Figure 11 illustrates more or less conventionally and in a-somewhat exaggerated manner, a blade of present commercial type vassembled with a razor cap. The blade 25, of the wafer type, has double cutting edges 2|. Extending lengthwise of the blade is a closed slot 22 which takes Yover a positioning barl 23 formed as part of the razor' cap 24. 'As appears in the drawing, the relative dimensions being somewhat exaggerated, the slot 22 is considerably wider than the bar 23. 'Ihis is necessary in order to permit the blade to be assembled and removed. As a result of this excess width of slot, there is, in fact, no true positioning of the blade. As indicated in this Figure 11, the blade may cant to 4another rimmed Vsuch an extent that the cutting edges are sub-- stantially out of parallelism with the edge or axis of the razor. Such canting, as above stated, is most apt to prevent proper, comfortable shaving.

Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention involving a double-edged wafer blade. This blade has two separate parts 26, 21 having, respectively, cutting edges 28, 29. These blade sections are separated by what may be termed an open ended slot 33. That is, the separating space 36 extends from end to end of the blade sections, permitting the sections to move toward and away from each other, as distinguished from the closed slot of the unitary blade of present commercial type.

To resiliently connect the two blade sections, at each end of the blade is a bowed spring element 3| the ends of which are bent back and anchored in knuckles 32 formed by rolling over the metal of the end portions of the blade sections.

Figure illustrates this blade assembled with the cap of a razor constructed in accordance with the invention. Such cap 33 has a positioning abutment in the form of a bar 34 running from end to end of the cap, as distinguished from the relatively short bar 23 of Figure 11. At the central point of bar 34 is the usual threaded post 35 for receiving a razor handle 36 (Figure 9).

The two sections of blade 21-28 are so assembled in manufacture and the springs 3| are so constituted as to give space 36 the desired Width, which is preferably very slightly less than the width of positioning bar 34. To assemble the blade with the razor, the blade is grasped at the ends with the thumb and lingers engaging the two spring elements 3|. A sulicient pressure is exerted to flatten the springs somewhat, thus spreading the blade sections. The blade is then assembled with the razor cap, the widening of space or slot 36 permitting the blade to pass easily over positioning bar 3d. The blade is then released, whereupon the springs 3| tend to return the blade sections to former position. Thus the inner edges 31, 38 of the blade sections are spring-held in contact with positioning bar 34. The razor guard plate 39 (Figure 9) is then placed over the blade and handle 36 screwed into place to render the razor ready for shaving.

To disassemble, the razor handle and guard plate are removed. The blade is again grasped as before described and pressure is again applied to the springs 3|. The blade sections being again spread, the blade can readily be lifted away from the razor cap.

With the construction described, the blade is positioned in the razor with precision. The inner edges 31, 38 of the blade sections are pressed against the positioning bar 34, making any canting of the blade as a whole or of either section thereof practically impossible. As a result, the cutting edges are at all times in true parallelism With the razor axis and edges, making possible a proper, comfortable shave.

These ends cannot be attained by any doubleedged blade now known in the art because the slots in the latter must be so wide that precision positioning is impossible and canting of the blade is always likely to occur. Whether or not it would be possible to machine a bar and slot of the type exemplified in Figure 11 to give a precise fit is immaterial. If the slot were so dimensioned it would be exceedingly diflicult to assemble the blade and next to impossible to remove it.

In the razor cap shown in Figure 11, the positioning bar 34 extends from end to end of the cap. A shorter bar may be used if desired but a full length bar gives a greater length of positioning contact and has other advantages.

Figure 4 illustrates a modified blade. The blade sections 42, 43 are like sections 21, 28 of the blade of Figure 1 except that the rolled over knuckles of the latter are omitted. The wire spring elements 44 have spaced end at portions 45. which grip the ends of the blade sections and are secured thereto in any suitable manner, as by indenting the metal as indicated at 46.

Figure 6 illustrates a further modification in which the resilient elements 48 are integral with the blade sections 43, 56. This construction may be attained by stamping out a flat blank having a slot 5| and curved ends. These ends are then bent upwardly and bowed to give the spring elements 48 of the form shown in Figures 6-8.

Figure 12 illustrates a construction in which the invention is embodied in a double-edged blade of the non-wafer or rigid type. The blade there shown as an example comprises the blade sections 53, 54, having, respectively, cutting edges 55, 56. These blade sections are separated by a wide space 51, whereby the blade sections are movable towards and away from each other. The blade sections are connected by wire spring elements 58, the attened end portions 59 of which are anchored in undercut slots formed in the edges of the blade sections, as appears more clearly in Figures 13 and 14.

Figure 15 illustrates the blade of Figure l2 assembled with a razor cap 6E). This cap has two positioning bars 6|, 62 extending from end to end of the cap. Each bar has the wedge shaped lugs 63 over which fit V-shaped notches 64 formed inthe inner edges 65, 66 of the blade sections. The blade is assembled in the same manner as above described. That is, the blade is grasped by the spring elements 56, pressure is applied and the blade slipped onto the cap. Upon release, springs 58 cause blade section 53 to be held in close contact with positioning bar 6| and blade section 54 with bar 62. Thus, the blade is positioned with precision and canting is prevented. To remove the blade, the spring elements are again grasped and pressed, thus spreading the blade sections suficiently to permit ready removal.

It is to be understood that various modications maybe made in the blades `and razors above described Without departing from the invention. For example, the resilient connecting elements may be of various constructions and may be secured to the blade sections in various ways; the positioning abutment may have other forms than that of a bar; the inner edges of the blade sections may have various configurations; and the positioning abutment may be located on portions of the razor other than the cap. While the invention is more particularly applica-ble to double-edged blades, the principles of the invention, in its broader aspects, are also applicable to single-edged blades.

What is claimed is:

1. A razor blade unit comprising two separate blade sections movable toward and away from each other with a substantially right-line movement, the sections having inner opposed edges and one of said sections having an outer cutting edge, and spring elements `connecting said blade sections.

2. A razor blade unit comprising tWo separate blade sections movable toward and away from each other with a substantially right-line movement, the sections having inner opposed edges and one of said sections, having an outer cutting edge, and two bowed spring elements, each spring element having two extensions which `are anchored to the respective blade sections.

3. A razor blade unit comprising two separate blade sections movable toward and away from each other with a substantially right-line movement, the sections having inner opposed edges and one of said sections having an outer cutting edge, the ends of the blade sections having the metal thereof rolled up to form a knuckle, and spring elements having extensions anchored in said knuckles.

4. A razor blade unit comprising two separate blade sections movable toward and away from each other with a substantially right-line movement, the sections having inner opposed edges and one of said sections having an outer cutting edge, and spring elements formed integral with said blade sections and resiliently connected to the same.

AXEL S. CARLSON. 

